The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-07-20
General Sickles at Gettysburg.

In recent talk in relation to the
battle of Gettysburg General Sickles
said: "The fact of the matter is there
was no order of battle, nor was there
the slightest preparation for battle on
the second day. When Longstreet
made his formation and swung his
troops on to my left there was nothing
for me to do but attack. l could easily
have held my own against an equal
force, but it was absurd to imagine that
| could check or beat back the right
wing of the confederate army. The
overwhelming force brought to bear
against me made my line untenable,
and called for re-enforcements, real
izing that defeat of my corps meant the
thanking of the army and the interposi-
ton of the enemy between the army
and the capital. called upon General
Hancock, who had always been kind
and cordial to me, and he sent me regi-
ment after regiment. The gallant
Weed of the Fifth Corps came to nv
aid-poor General S. II. Weed, who
was killed that same afternoon on Little
Round Top, and on whose breast
Lieutenant Hazlett, who was in COM
mand of Weeds old artillery battery
and who was also shot by sharp
shooter, fell while he was leaning over
to hear his chiefs dying words.
And poor Zook of the Second Corps
fell in the wheat-feld later. In re-
spouse to Warren's appeals for help
from Round Top l let him have Weed,
for | was confident that with the help
| then had and with re-enforcements
from the Fifth Corps, which responded
an hour after | called for them, we
could at least hold the field. | lost in
that fight over four thousand men.
There had been sort of council of war
that morning and all the corps COM
manders had been requested to attend.
General Meade sent for me. l declined
to go because | was convinced | would
have trouble with the enemy before /
could return. Finally positive order
came from General Meade. | mounted
my horse, thoroughbred Kentucky
! hunter, and galloped to Headquarters.
To General Meade | impaired my APP
prehension of an attack and asked him
to accompany me back and inspect my
line. He made light of my fears and
declared l was always imagining | was
about to be attacked. However he
directed General Hunt, his chief of
artillery, to look into my line, and
General Hunt approved it, Even while
/ General Meade was ridiculing my ap-
prehensions the booming of guns on
the left denoted that the fun had begun.
Although the three days strife at
Gettysburg is termed one battle there
were actually three contlicts-Reynolds
fight on the first day, my fight on the
second day on the left, and the third
day the last expiring gasp, the hope
less charge by Pickett's gallant fellows
on the center, repulsed by Hancock. In
regarding the battle of Gettysburg peo-
pie are apt to dwell upon the third days
fight because it puts an end to the bust
ness. The heavier work of the first
and second days is apt to be overlooked.
but one fresh division, Pickett's, while
we had the Sixth and Twelfth Corps.
Lee was out of ammunition. General
Graham, who was wounded and taken
prisoner, told me that the confederates
had but few rounds of ammunition left
and were exceedingly demoralized and
broken up. Whenever rumor was
spread among them that the Yanks
were going to charge there was always
stampede. We had the choice of
position. We had repulsed two sue
cessve attacks on our right and left,
and our left, though apparently the
weakest part of our front, was in reality
the strongest from the nature of the
ground. Besides, we could swing in
re-enforcements from either the right
or the center. hold that had not the
Third Corps broken the back of Long
streets corps on the second there
never would have been third day at
! Gettysburg"